


Astounding X-Men!  vol. 2: OPERATION: WIDEAWAKE!

by Murf1307



Series: Astounding X-Men! [7]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Government Experimentation, Hank McCoy is a little bit paranoid, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Rescue Missions, survivalism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-08-23 12:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8328712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murf1307/pseuds/Murf1307
Summary: Soon after the creation of the X-Men, whispers of a government-backed experimentation program reach them.  However, when two of the X-Men are captured, and only one is rescued, the team has to face the idea that maybe, just maybe, they can't save everyone.  Additionally, Armando comes to a realization about his relationship with Alex, and some new faces make themselves at home at the mansion.





	1. Issue #006: Underground Blue

Hank spends most of his time down in his lab, since the accident.  It’s not necessarily on purpose, though he’s sure that if he sat down and examined his behavior, he’d find that his new face and body are a major subconscious reason for his seclusion.

That, and there’s so much work to do.  The jet, the sub-basement attached to Alex’s bunker — all of it needs to be finished, as soon as possible.

He doesn't know when, but he knows that the government _will_  come to kill them all.

It’s just as he told Sean — he remembers what they did to people in the MKULTRA experiments, and what he’d been asked to do.

He wouldn’t then, and he won’t let the CIA or _anyone_  come for his friends now.

They’re all he has, and he’ll protect them with everything in him.  Just thinking about the threat, now, puts a growl deep in his chest, and he can’t bring himself to hate that aspect of his Beastliness.

His anger _means_  something, now.  It didn’t used to.

Back when he mostly looked like a normal guy — a skinny geek who couldn’t hurt a fly and couldn’t get a girl’s interest if it would’ve saved his life.

But now?  Don’t piss off the monster.

Sighing, he pushes back from the table.  He really needs a break.  Looking around the lab, he tries to think of something else to work on.

It’s then that Darwin pokes his head into the lab with one of those winning smiles.

“You okay, Hank?"

“Yeah,” he says, exhaling.  “Just…a little stressed, I guess."

Darwin slips into the lab and tugs a stool over to the other side of the lab table.  “Wanna talk about it?"

Hank shakes his head, sighing.  “It’s…just everything, all crushed up together."

“Uh-huh,” Darwin agrees.  “I know how that feels."

“You do?”  Darwin always seems so calm, so composed, so _cheerful._   He can even get Angel and Alex to smile, pretty much always.  Hank can’t imagine him stressing out over anything.

Darwin nods.  “Yeah.  I mean, we just fought a guy I couldn’t land a punch on.  Last guy who could do that almost killed me.” 

There’s something sober about that, and Hank swallows.  “I…hadn’t thought of it like that."

A little smile crosses Darwin’s face.  “I mean, I was fine this time.  But it’s still kind of unsettling."

“Is that why Alex wouldn’t go more than three feet away from you for three days?  Except to shower?”  Hank’s teasing, just a little.  It’s pretty obvious that Alex cares a lot about Darwin, and Hank wishes he had someone like that around for him.

But then, could anyone feel that way about a guy covered head to toe in blue fur, a super genius with fangs?

He doesn’t really think so.

Darwin laughs.  “Yeah, think so.  It really got to him, too."

Hank’s quiet at that.  Alex is an enigma to him, really.  Kind of a jerk, but clearly deeply loyal — Hank just doesn’t know how to get on his good side, or if he really even wants to be there.

“Anyway,” Darwin continues, “It’s probably time for you to come upstairs — gotta keep in touch with the rest of us, y’know?"

Hank twitches an almost smile.  “Yeah, maybe it is."

 

* * *

 

_Hank?_

The voice makes him jump, before he realizes that it’s in his head.  He knows, then, that it's Charles, and thinks back, carefully, _Yes?_  

_Could you come upstairs for tea?  I would appreciate the company_.

The internal voice sounds sad, though Charles has been putting up a brave face lately, and Hank nods, somehow knowing Charles will know he did.

He gets up and ventures up out of the lab.  All of his trips upstairs in the last month have been either for food or because Sean or Darwin insisted he come up to sleep or visit the nest.  He can't say no to either, really -- especially not Sean, to his own surprise.  Something about the younger boy is always too convincing.

Charles is up in his study, where he usually is these days.  They're still in the process of modifying the mansion to make it easier for Charles to get around -- there were freight elevators already, but making them fit for human (and wheelchair) use was taking time.  So generally, Charles spent his time on the main floor of the house, and on rare occasions came down to the basement lab or Cerebro.

"Hank," Charles said, smiling kindly -- but it didn't reach his eyes.  "Are you all right?"

"Tired," Hank admitted, shrugging, and sat down across the small table from Charles.  "But it's worth it.  I think I've found a way to reinforce the walls without using metal."

Wrong thing to say; Charles retreats into himself a little.  "Of course.  I'm sure that if anyone can manage it, you can."

"I'm also making progress on a jet.  I'll -- well, I'll need more materials."  Asking for money from Charles always feels odd -- uncomfortable.  Hank hates it.  He's already living off the man's fortune, after all.

"Of course," Charles repeats, a little less uncomfortable this time.  "Write me a list of the things you need for it -- given your activities lately as X-Men, a jet would be useful."

"Thanks."  Hank ventures a question: "How's planning the school going?"

Charles sighs.  "Since Moira left?  It hasn't, really.  I don't...I don't know a thing about teaching children, unfortunately."

Hank hums a little.  "It doesn't have to start as a school," he points out.  "The point is to create a space that's safe for mutant kids, right?"

"Right."

"So we can start like that.  Get kids out of bad situations, give them somewhere to stay while we figure out the 'school' part of all of this."  He thinks it's more important, really.  Kids and their safety should be their first priority.  Let Erik and Raven fight their war -- someone needs to.  But they're in a position to fight, and here, at the mansion, the X-Men are in a position to _protect._   

Hank thinks they should.  He really does.

Charles nods.  "I think...I think that's worth looking into."

"As for the school itself, I've been talking to Darwin, and I think, at first, we'll be pretty set for the sciences, but we're in sore need of someone who can teach English.  Darwin's up for teaching Spanish, and he's trying to convince Angel to teach it with him.  And Alex, well, Darwin says Alex has been doing all sorts of things in the library."  He's not sure he believes that last part.

"Yes, I think Alex has developed an interest in geology."  Charles nods.  "Well, we can certainly discuss all of this in more detail once we know what age range we'd be teaching -- that seems like the most important thing to know, going in."

"Right."  Hank nods.  "I really do think we're capable of this, Charles."  Moreover, if they don't do it, who will?

That's really the crux of the issue, isn't it?

 

* * *

 

Sean's been staying up too late.

Hank knows, pot, kettle, black, blue, all of that.  But he's still worried.  Sean spends a lot of time in the lab with him -- Hank's sure it's because he feels sorry for him.  But he doesn't mention it.

Right now, it's because Sean is leaning against him like he's the most comfortable pillow in the world.  They're on the floor -- Hank's got blueprints spread out all around them, and he smiles just a little as Sean relaxes even more.  It makes him feel...cared about.  Like Sean doesn't care that he's visibly not human.

Carefully, he wraps an arm around Sean.  It's an instinct, too, a new one -- to protect people.  To guard, to take care of someone.  He doesn't mind it, so much.  Even if it makes him more paranoid about all of this.

But then, they _know_  the government is after them -- is it really paranoia?

Sighing, Hank decides it was time to stop for the night.  Not that he's tired, necessarily, but Sean has fallen asleep.  And he really shouldn't sleep sitting up on the floor of Hank's lab.  He gathers Sean up in his arms and and curls him close.

Sean is built like a bird.  Like his bones are particularly fragile, or something.  Maybe Hank only thinks this because Sean can fly, or because Sean is so much smaller than him.  

He doesn't know.  Right now, he finds he doesn't really care.

Soon, he's made his way up to Sean's room.  He puts Sean to bed gently, but, in sleep, Sean's hand curls tightly in Hank's fur.  

Hank sighs.  It's...sweet.  Hank sort of wants to stay, but he doesn't know what to do.

Carefully, he uncurls Sean's fingers from his fur.  Sean frowns in his sleep and holds onto Hank's hand instead.

Letting go is surprisingly difficult.

 

* * *

 

"No.  You're not going."

"Who died and made you king?"

Hank overheard the budding argument from the living room.  He was staying behind on this mission -- investigating a sudden convergence of mutant mental signatures muffled behind something.  They needed to send people who could pass as human, and that meant Darwin, Sean, Alex -- and apparently not Angel, if Darwin had anything to do with the decision, judging from this argument.

Darwin sighs, and Hank heads to the doorframe, curious.

"Angel, you don't even _like_  fighting."

Angel has her arms crossed over her chest.  "You and Alex and Sean are going into unknown territory.  I can shoot acid from my mouth and fly.  Why the _hell_  don't you want me to come?"

Alex steps in there.  "Because it's dangerous.  It's dangerous, and we don't think you should have to go where we don't know what the hell's going down."

"Chivalry is dead, Alex.  I'm going."  Angel looks snidely at him.  "I can _help."_

"Please, Angel."  Darwin sighs.  "Just this once.  I've got a bad feeling about this one.  Charles doesn't know what we're walking into, and that makes me worry."

"Why about me and not Alex?"  

She's got a point.  

"Because I'm a walking bomb, Angel.  I'm the guy you send into unknown situations to blow things up if they're bad."  Alex crosses his arms.  "Darwin's right.  We don't know what we're walking into.  Let us handle it this time, please?"

Hank's not sure he should be privy to this conversation -- the look in Alex's eyes when he looks at Angel is something unexpectedly intimate.

_Oh._

Are they in love with her?  That would...that would make sense.

Huh.  

"...You're really sure you think it's gonna go wrong?" Angel asks, looking at Darwin.

"Yeah," he says.  "So..."

There's a beat of silence, and Hank wonders what Angel's going to say.

She takes a deep breath.  "Okay.  Fine.  This time only.  I can take care of myself."

Hank's not surprised at the look in Darwin's eyes.  It says without saying _You shouldn't have to._

Yeah, Hank decides, they're both in love with her.

He's not surprised, but...

Now he knows just how alone he is, himself.  Raven's gone, and she was the only other girl in the group, really.  Moira was already Charles's.

Maybe he shouldn't've listened in on this one.

Sighing, he turns and goes back downstairs.

 

* * *

 

Darwin comes back alone.

It's a horrifying reality.  Alex and Sean _didn't make it back._

Hank can't breathe.  It's like the beach all over again, but worse.  It feels -- it feels like the compound, moreso, in those terrifying moments when they all thought Darwin was going to die.

"I -- what happened?" Angel asks, and her voice sounds small.

"It's -- it's a lab.  Or a compound with labs."  Darwin sounds exhausted, his throat raspy.  Like he's been crying.  But his eyes are dry.  "I got away.  Alex and Sean -- they couldn't."

"But they're alive," Charles says, and it's not a question.

"As far as I know."  Darwin exhales, shakily.  "As far as I know, they're alive."

"Well," Hank interjects.  "That means we have to go in after them.  Save them."  

Charles looks at him.  "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Dead silence in the room.  Darwin's face goes stony-cold; Angel takes a step toward Charles; Hank, though --

Hank _growls._

He's not anticipating it.  But there it is.

"I don't think you understand, Charles," he says, getting a little bit of his composure back.  "This is Alex and Sean we're talking about here.  We're not just going to let them die in there."

"Exactly," Darwin agrees.  "We're getting them out, and that's that."

"Armando --"

Darwin shakes his head.  "Don't.  I'm the X-Men's field leader for a _reason_.  You made that call.  Now it's time for me to make mine."

Hank can't help but agree.  

He thinks of Sean, in particular.  

_We're coming._


	2. #007 - "WIDEAWAKE"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Sean have been captured by Trask's men, and it's up to Darwin, Angel, and Hank to rescue them -- and the other mutants they find at the facility when they get there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains allusions to torture and human experimentation.

Pulling on the X-Men suit is always kind of surreal.  Armando twists, zips himself into it, and looks up to consider himself in the mirror.

Darwin, the Amazing Evolving Boy, all grown up.  Twenty-one years old, and he's survived nearly being blown up by a Nazi, and being stabbed in the chest by a Holocaust survivor.  There's something unusually appropriate about that, he thinks.  

The yellow X across his chest works beautifully as a target, a giant x-marks-the-spot for bad guys to come after him.  If he's drawing fire or punches, someone else isn't getting hurt.  

That hadn't worked, this time.

Alex had gone down anyway, dragged away as someone snapped a collar around his neck and pistol-whipped him unconscious.

Sean had been taken much the same way.  

And now he's here, the survivor, pulling on the suit again to try and save them both.  

He _knows_  Alex is still alive.  Ever since that night at the compound, he can swear he can feel Alex, like the energy that nearly killed him connects them somehow.

Maybe that's overly romantic thinking, but it's all Armando has to comfort him right now.

He turns his thoughts to the task at hand as he finishes strapping on his boots.  They have to go back in there.  He has to lead Angel and Hank into the lions' den to get Alex and Sean back, and bring them all home this time.

_Bring them all home this time, damnit_ , he tells himself, as if he can convince his mutation to do it for him.

Of course, he doesn't need them to survive, so he can't.  He doesn't need _anything_ but his own body to _survive._   He's learned that the hard way.

But he's not sure he would _want_  to live without these people.  Alex, Angel, Hank, Sean -- if he could die, they'd be the people he would give his life for without a second thought.  But he's not so lucky.

He has to live for them, and lead them instead.

Carefully, he deals with the last few buttons, and takes a deep breath.

Just as he's about to leave the room, there's a knock on the door.

Angel.  Like a sigh of relief.

"Hank's ready, we're just waiting on you now."  She cocks her head to the side, reading him.  She's as good as Alex at that, in her own way.

"I was just thinking."

"I know.  C'mon.  We gotta go get our boys."

_Our boys._

Funny how right that sounds, coming out of her mouth.

 

* * *

 

"So, you've gotta be going in with a plan, right?" Angel asks, sitting across from him, adjusting the high neckline of her own X-suit.  

"Yeah."  Armando has a plan, hastily thrown together because ever moment they wait is a moment longer that Alex and Sean might not have for them to waste.  "Since we're riding in the back of a stolen delivery truck."

Charles hadn't liked that very much.  But Hank's not done with his jet, and any of Charles's cars would be way too conspicuous for this.

So, stolen delivery truck it was.  They'd bring it back, after a fashion, and there's money in an envelope under the door of owner's house.  Armando tries to use that as his best rationalization.  He doesn't like this anymore than Charles does, in the end.

But this is Alex and Sean.  There's no other choice.

"Well, spill."

"We're sneaking in.  When we get close, I'm gonna trade places with Hank and get us into the compound.  Once we're in, we're going to search for Alex and Sean.  Charles is gonna be watching through Hank's eyes, use him as a radio tower to try and sense which direction we need to go." 

Charles _still_  can't get into Armando's head, which is a blessing and a curse all at once.

Curse, today.  

"Okay.  And if we get caught?"

"We fight like hell."

"Simple."  Angel twists her mouth in a rueful smile.  "Think it's actually gonna work?"

Armando shrugs.  He can't lie to her.  "I don't know.  I hope so."

Angel exhales.  "You're doing this for him, huh?"

The idea somehow surprises him -- because of course part of him is.  Of _course._   Alex has become his right hand in the last year, and he can't just give that up.

But it's more than that.  It's always been more than that.

Angel smirks a little.  "What, you hadn't noticed?  The two of you are practically glued together, Darwin."

"Wait, are you saying --" his hackles are a little up.  Not that he's ashamed, or anything, but being that obvious about his, well, his _feelings_  for Alex, could be dangerous.  

"Yeah, I'm saying.  And it's not a big deal, Dar.  Pretty sure he feels the same way about you."

Armando shakes his head.  Even if that's true, there's nothing either of them can do about it.  Armando leads the team, and Alex can _die_  if the wrong person finds out.

But then, if Alex dies today, it's all a moot point anyway.

The conversation peters out after that, and Armando sinks back into his thoughts.

 

* * *

 

"Identification?" the security guard asks Armando, nightstick in his hand, as the truck lumbers to the compound gate.

"Sure," Armando says, disarmingly warm smile stretched across his face.

Then, he cold-clocks the guy through the open window.

There's a soft thud as the guard hits the ground, and Armando keeps on driving, trying to pretend that nothing's wrong.  He doesn't know how long the have before someone notices that they're not supposed to be here, but -- well, they have to do _something_.

"Hank, you got anything?" he calls over his shoulder.

"Charles says he _thinks_  he can feel Alex.  He can't get a lock on Sean, though."  Hank's voice is remarkably steady given the circumstances, and Armando nods.

"All right, which direction?"

"Keep going this way.  There's a specific lab -- he can.  Oh god."

"What?"

Hank's voice is shaking this time.  "There's -- there's about a dozen mutants here.  Trapped.  They're split in...they're split in two groups, opposite ends of the compound."  

Shit.  They're gonna have to pick one.  "All right.  Which one's got Alex?"

"I -- we're going the right way.  There's a building with..." He trails off and lets out a hysterical laugh.  "It's got an X on the door."

Angel curses profusely.

Armando hits the gas.

 

* * *

 

There's still light in Alex's eyes when Armando finds him, in a cell with walls a foot thick, strapped against the wall and with something that looks like red glass, about six inches thick, pressed tight against his chest.

Alex's eyes find his, and a smirk pulls at his mouth.  "Hey."

"Jesus, hotshot," Armando says, walking into the cell, six steps that feel like six thousand feet between him and Alex strapped down against that wall.  "You okay?"

"I fought 'em too hard, so I'm kinda bruised up," Alex admits.  "But I'm too useful to kill."

Armando wants to burn the whole place down.

"Well, you're leaving."  The first thing he does is tear the glass away and cast it aside.  Then, his body gets with the program, adrenaline and survival instinct letting him pull the metal from the wall, and soon, Alex drops into his arms.  

He's battered all over, a black eye and a busted lip crowning a swollen face and already-green bruises all along his throat and arms.

But he can stand, and he can smirk, and, after a moment, he lets off a hoop hot enough that the metal on the wall melts.  He turns to Armando.  "Where's Sean?"

"We don't know."

"Shit.  We gotta get him too."

"We -- we only have time to get through this building."  Armando curls his hand around Alex's wrist, tugging him toward the door.

Alex shakes his head but goes as asked.  "There's more than one building with mutants in it?"

"According to Charles, via Hank."

"And Charles can't feel Sean?"  They're both in the hallway now, and Armando pulls Alex toward the appointed meeting place, where Hank and Angel will be bringing the rest of the mutants in this building.

But there's only so much they can do.  "He can't."

Alex pauses, then nods.  "Okay."

The unsaid is palpable, and Armando leaves it that way.  They don't have the time.

Later, they'll grieve.

 

* * *

 

"Alex --" Armando calls out, shoving Alex's shoulder so he turns.  The group of security people aren't prepared for the blasts Alex lets off.

Now, the hallway's on fire, and so are the guards.  Alex keels back against Armando's chest, and Darwin catches him, briefly squeezing his waist with a whispered, "It's all right."

Alex nods, shaking, and they keep their steady retreat.

They make it back to the truck, to find a group of half a dozen traumatized mutants, Angel and Hank mid-fight against another group of security guards.

"All right, you all get in the back of the truck.  We're gonna take care of this," Armando says to the group.

"Who are you?" One of the youngest prisoners, only maybe eight years old, if that, said.  Her hair was dark purple.

"They're the X-Men, Betsy," says a woman with cloudy cataracts in her eyes.  "I told you they were coming."

Armando smiles at them.  "Yeah, we're the X-Men," he agrees.  "Now get in the truck."

They do, and Armando nudges Alex to follow them.

"No, I can stay," Alex says, and his hands are shaking, but his gaze is steady.  "I can fight."

Armando nods, just as steady.  He tugs Alex close for a second and knocks the side of his rib cage.  "Cover me?"

Alex nods, and Armando joins the fray.  

He reaches one of the guards and cold-clocks him.  He feels Alex's energy hot behind him and slips aside.  The blast knocks the guard back, and Armando can't help but grin.

They've still got it.

When this group of guards has been neutralized, Armando gives the sign for Hank and Angel to retreat.  

Hank goes for the cab of the truck, and Angel flies into the back.  Alex is right behind her, and Armando brings up the rear, standing on the edge of the bed as he pulls the door down.

He knows when Alex is touching him and tugging him to the floor, even as it takes a second for his eyes to adjust.

Armando squeezes Alex's wrist, and the truck jolts as Hank floors the accelerator.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, in the back of the truck, someone finally speaks.  "You know," comes the voice.  "We're going to be okay, eventually."

"You promise, Irene?" and that was the little girl's voice.

"I promise."

"Why's that?"  Alex, then, still inhumanly warm against Armando's side.

"Irene sees the future," Betsy says.  "So she knows."

Armando raises his eyebrows.  "Wow," he says.  "That's definitely superhuman."  

"You interested in being a superhero?" There's Angel's voice, and Armando can hear her smirking.  

Irene laughs, just a tiny bit.  "I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

Alex huffs a little in the dark.  "I'm a walking bomb," he points out. "And we're kind of sure Darwin can't die."

"Wow," Betsy says, softly.  "That's amazing."

Armando smiles.  "Well, it is what it is.  I'll show you sometime, if you'd like."

"Really?"  

"Of course."

Alex's hand slips into Armando's, and Armando smiles a little wider.

And for the first time since this whole Trask fiasco started, he feels that they're going to be okay.

"Where are we going, by the way?" asks another mutant, this one with lizardlike horns along his browridge.  

"Somewhere safe," Alex says.  "They won't get to us there."

Betsy finally detaches from Irene's side and moves over to where Alex and Darwin are.  Darwin reaches out with his free hand and pats her head.  

It's a bittersweet victory, but a victory nonetheless.

And now, now it's time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this one, guys. I know you didn't wait months for this chapter for that plot twist, but it's the plot twist I needed to happen.


End file.
